Follower-block for filing-cabinets.



J. HATFIELD.

FOLLOWER BLOCK FOR FILING CABINETS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 11H.

Patented May 7,1918.

"entrain ermine ratrnnm JOHN HATFIELD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL STEEL CABINET COMPANY, INC., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOLLOWER-BLOCK FOR FILING-CABINETS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN HATFIELD. a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Follower-Blocks for Filing-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in filing cabinets or cases, pertaining more particularly to that type of such constructions employing a follower structure movable in the direction of length of the filing receptacle and adjustable therein.

Structures of this type are generally more or less complicated, employing a number of special forms of parts and oftentimes requiringspecial drawer or receptacle configurations which affect the use of the receptacle as a part of a filing cabinet. Furthermore, such structures, which generally depend upon frictional engagement with drawer portions for maintaining the position of the follower, have the holding or locking means of such form as to tend to limit the extent of surface contact of opposing frictional surfaces, thus not only tending to localize the points of pressure application to relatively small areas, but, in addition, tend to require increased pressure to insure that the small opposing faces will firmly bind the follower sufficiently to prevent movement, an action which tends to affect the structure of the receptacle itself, especially where the cabinet 01' case is formed of metal.

The present invention is designed more particularly to overcome these and other difficult-ies and to produce a structure which is simple, efficient and durable in construction and operation, and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 23, 1917.

Patented May *7, 1918.

Serial No. 176,518.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views:

Figure l is a perspective view of a filing case, including drawer and follower, constructed in accordance with a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the follower removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the follower in unlocked position and free to be moved.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the follower locked or held against movement.

Fig. 5 is a detail view.

For purposes of illustration. the invention is shown as applied to a filing receptacle formed of metal, but it is to be understood, however, that while such material is preferred, the invention is adapted for use in connection with other materials, and such change is considered, as falling within the scope of the present invention in so far as permitted by the appended claims.

10 indicates a drawer having the usual bot tom 11, side walls 12, front end structure 130, and a bail-like connection 14 at the op posite end, this being of the type of structure shown in my companion application filed July 18, 1916, Ser. No. 109,907.

In the present construction, each side wall is shown as provided with an inturned flange 12 extending lengthwise of the drawer from its front to apoint adjacent its rear end, the flanges being preferably omitted at the rear of the drawer to permit of the introduction of the follower as presently described, it being understood, of course, that this omission may be at other points of the drawer instead of that specified, if desired. The flanges 12 extend downwardly on the inner sides of the side walls which have practically no outwardly projecting portions, thus requiring no special configuration of cabinet to receive the drawer when the latter is used with other drawers in cabinet formation. As will be understood, the portion of the flange which connects the side wall with the vertical portion of the flange extends parallel with the bottom 11. This arrangement provides a slide or way with a closed top portion and an open bottom facing the bottom of the drawer.

The body portion of the follower comprises a plate 13 having rearwardly projecting wings 13 at its opposite ends to which are secured plates 14, connection between the wings and plates 14 being provided in any suitable manner as by welding or otherwise. As seen in Figs. 3 and 4, plates 14 are of considerable front to rear length, being positioned to extend in advance and in rear of the plane of plate 13. Plates 14 are adapted to be positioned'to extend within the slides or ways 12 and have a vertical length slightlylessthan the distance between the inner'face of the closed top of the slide and the top face ofthe bottom 11 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus permitting free sliding movements of these plates in the direction of length of the drawer excepting when frictionally held against such sliding-movement; the parts are preferably so arranged that the bottom edges of these plates .14 rest on the bottom 11 during such free sliding movement. The connection between plates 13 and 14 is preferably such that, when plates 14 are in contact with the bottom, they form practically the sole support for the follower, the lower edges of; these plates riding on the bottom 11 during the back and forth movements of the follower and fit loosely within the slides or ways, plate 13 having a length to extend between but spaced from flanges 12 Hence, contact between the follower structure and bottom 11 is limited to the area of; the lower edge of plates 14, and such contact is had in proximity to the side walls and; entirely outside of the zone in which the cards or other papers to be filed are received. Since plates 14 extend parallel and inproximityto the side walls 12, it will be readily understood that the front to rear length of plates 14 need not be limited.

'The means for placing the follower in its lockedor. held position comprises a member 15' mountedv to be supported in angle pieces 16 carried by plate 13, said member 15 having a lateral offset15 preferably at a point intermediate'the' angle pieces 16, the latter formingbearings for member 15. The portions of member 15 beyond pieces 16 are each formed as acrank 15", the cranks loosely carrying suitable shoes 17 which may be of any desired configuration but which are shown as angular. I

Clamping or, locking movements of the follower are provided by the more or less oscillatory movements of member 15. In these movements the shoes 17 practically function to provide the axis of movement or the fulcrum on which the follower movements take place, the more or less extended surface contact between the shoes and bottom 11 during the movements of members 15, practically preventing shifting of the shoes relative to the bottom. Hence, when member 15 is moved in the angle pieces 16, the follower will be moved bodily to advance or retract the follower, depending upon the direction in which offset 15" is moved. In addition to these advancing or retracting movements, the follower is raised or lowered bodily, due to the fact that the swinging action produced by the movements of member 15 causes the point where member 15 passes through angle pieces 16 to swing in an are which intersects a vertical plane extending through the axis located in shoe 17. The parts are preferably so arran ed that the swinging movements of the follower forwardlythe direction which causes the follower to become clamped or lockeocarries the point of connection of pieces 16 and member 15 slightly beyond the point of intersection of this are and such vertical plane, thus moving the follower past the center, the movement in this direction being limited by contact of offset 15 with the top of plate 13, as shown in Fig. 4. The follower, during its travel in reaching the dead center of the crank action, will raise the follower to bring the upper edge of plates 14 intocontact with the under face of the turned-over portion of flange 12 the extended length of this top edge not only tending to prevent rock-' ing of the follower, but also so distributingthe pressure applied as to prevent any deformation of this portion of the drawer slides or ways 12. As it is desirable that the advance movement of the follower extend slightly past the dead center, and such additional movement is in a direction such as will tend to lower the follower, it will be understood that to provide a sufficient clamping or locking action at the completion of the advance movement, the pres sure at the time of passing the dead center, is comparatively high. In actual practice, there is a more or less springing action provided at the time of passing the dead center, and to permit of this action taking place without tending to damage the parts, I preferably locate the shoes 17 at points spaced from side walls 12 of the drawer, so that the slight yielding present at the time this springingaction is had may take place in the bottom 11 without damaging the latter.

hen releasing the locked condition, offset 15 is moved in the opposite direction, causing the follower to retreat past the dead center'and be lowered to bring the bottom edges of plates 14 into contact with the bottom 11, after which continued movement of the-offset will tend, raiseshoes 17 from tact with the bottom when the follower is free to move.

As will be understood, the structure is of such type that the elements are of simple form and readily constructed at low cost, assembly being had without material difficulty. The relative construction and arrangement .of parts is such that the movements, while positive, are simple in form and provide for an exceedingly efficient clamping or locking of the follower in position as well as permitting free sliding movements. In addition, the particular movements employed are such as to not only provide for clamping or looking the follower, but in addition, the follower, in moving to clamping position, advances so as to tend to apply pressure on the cards or other articles positioned in advance of the follower, thus tending to more firmly hold the contents in position, this pressure increase being automatically relieved during the movement of the follower provided during the release of the clamping or locking en'- gagement.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred form in which the invention may be employed, it will be readily understood that changes or modifications therein may be required or desired to meet the exigencies of use, and I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make any and all such changes or modifications as may be found necessary or desirable in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is: i

1. The combination with a filing case having a bottom and side walls flanged to provide slides or ways closed at the top and open toward the case bottom, of a follower having supporting members extending into said slides or ways, said members normally resting on the case bottom during free slidable movements of the follower, and means carried by the follower and cooperating with the case bottom for raising said members out of contact with said bottom and into clamping engagement with the closed top of the slides or ways.

The combination with a filing case having a bottom and side walls flanged to provide slides or ways closed at thetop and open toward the case bottom, of a shiftablc I follower carrying flat plates extending parallelwitlrthe case side walls and extending mtosaid slidesor, ways, each plate having a bottomedge adapted to rest upon the case bottomto support theffollower and atop edgeadapted to contact with the closedtop of saidslides or ways,-said plates havin a vertical length-less than the distance etween the case bottom and the closed top of said slides, whereby the case bottom and closed tops will limit the vertical movements of the plates between such extremes, and means carried by the follower and cooperating with the case bottom for shifting the follower to move between such extreme positions, whereby the follower, during contact of plates and case bottom, is free to move in the direction of length of the case and is shiftable to provide clamping engagement of plates and slides to clamp the follower in position.

3. The combination with a filing case hav ing a bottom, and side walls flanged to provide slides or ways, of a shiftable follower having plates extending into such slides and acting to support the follower on the bottom in one position and to frictionally engage said slides in another position of the follower, and means carried by the follower and cooperative with the case bottom to shift the follower between said positions, said means including a member having crank arms, and shoes carried by said arms.

4:. The combination with a filing case having a bottom and side walls flanged to pro vide slides or ways, of a shiftable follower having plates extending into such slides and acting to support the follower on thetioned to cause said shoes to act as fulcrum polnts during the follower shifting movements.

5. The combination with a filing case having a bottom and side walls flanged to provide slides or ways, of a shiftable follower having plates extending into such slides and acting to support the follower on the bottom in one position and to frictionally engage said slides in another position of the follower, and means carried by the follower and cooperative with the case bottom to shift the follower between said positions, said means including a member having crank arms, and shoes carried by said arms, said shoes being positioned at points opposite to but spaced from said plates.

6. In follower structures for filing cases,

a plate having angularly extending wings atits opposite' ends5 said plate having its vertical length inclined to the vertical, and

" lel 'tfop and-bottom edges extending on horizontal planes with the plates extending in proximity to the plane of the lower edge of the inclined plate to locate the bottom edges 10 of the end plates as supporting elements for the follower.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HATFIELD.

Copies of this patent may-be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

I Y t -Washingtony1). C. 

